There are numerous existing commercial structures for moving each of a plurality of yarn conducting tubes in a circular path to dispense material in the form of a coil from the lower ends of the tubes. While such structures are useful for performing their intended function, in the past, they have been extremely complicated making them difficult to manufacture and/or repair, having a plurality of horizontal shafts, gearing mechanisms, etc., and not being readily susceptible to modular construction. Additionally, prior art mechanisms have conventionally had the frame portions thereof tied together so that a common power unit can move two or more pluralities of yarn dispensing tubes simultaneously. Due to looseness in the connections between prior art frame members, one unit often runs ahead of the other, resulting in jamming and destruction of gearing and even fracturing of the gear mounting assemblies.
It is believed that the coiler according to the present invention is a distinct improvement over the prior art structures that avoids the problems inherent in the prior art structures due to their complicated nature and the tying together of frame members. According to the present invention, a coiling machine is provided that is simple--being both easy to construct and repair--may be constructed in modular form, and provides no interconnections between corresponding frame members, but rather can tie more than one plurality of tubes together to operate simultaneously without experiencing the destructive jamming that can and does occur in prior art coilers.
According to the present invention, a coiling machine for textile materials is provided comprising a plurality of depending tubes, each having an upper and lower end, and means for mounting the upper end of each of the tubes for swiveling movement such that the lower end of each tube may move in a circular path to dispense textile material from the lower end in the form of a coil. A first vertical drive shaft is provided and a substantially horizontally disposed frame member, having connections to accessory components consisting of connections to each of the plurality of tubes adjacent the lower end thereof, and to the first shaft. The connection from the frame member to the first shaft comprises means for interconnecting the first shaft to the frame member for converting rotational movement of the first shaft about a vertical axis into movement of the frame member so that the lower ends of the tubes are simultaneously moved in a circular path to dispense textile material from each lower end in the form of a coil. Drive train means are also provided for imparting rotary driving motion to the first shaft, the drive train means including a single motor driven horizontal shaft disposed vertically above the frame member and out of interfering engagement with the tubes; means for transforming rotation of the horizontal shaft about a horizontal axis into rotation of a second vertical shaft about a vertical axis, and gear reduction means interconnecting the first and second vertical shafts for rotating the first shaft at a lower angular velocity than the second shaft. When an interconnection between the plurality of tubes and a second plurality of tubes is provided, no connections between the frame members are provided, but rather a common drive is provided between the vertical drive shaft associated with each plurality of tubes.
Also according to the present invention, a supporting box is provided for supporting all of the components of the drive train means except for the horizontal shaft, the provision of the supporting box allowing a modular constructions of the coiler, and providing ready access to all of the working parts at a common location for ease of inspection and repair. The means for transforming rotation of the horizontal shaft into rotation of the second vertical shaft includes a horizontal shaft segment spaced from and parallel to the horizontal shaft, chain and sprocket drive means interconnecting the horizontal shaft and shaft segment, a worm gear formed on the horizontal shaft segment, and a first horizontal gear member formed on the second vertical shaft intermeshing with the worm gear, the supporting box supporting the first and second vertical shafts, the horizontal shaft segment, and the reduction gear means, as well as a sprocket of the chain and sprocket drive means. Supporting means extending downwardly from a plant ceiling or the like supports the supporting box independently of the horizontal shaft. The supporting box has two readily removable plates covering the open side faces so that ready access to the internal component parts of the box is provided, and ready access to all of the drive trains means components.
The frame member and the means for interconnecting the first vertical shaft and the frame member may comprise conventional structures. For instance, the frame member may comprise a ring interconnected around the periphery thereof to the plurality of tubes, and connected at the center thereof to a shaft for the crank arm mechanism; and the crank arm mechanism can comprise a plurality of crank arms with interconnecting gear members.
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a simplified coiling machine for textile material. This and other objects of the invention will become clear from an inspection of the detailed description of the invention, and from the appended claims.